Consumer Reports: How to find cheaper flights

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - If you're planning a flight for the holidays and haven't bought a ticket yet -- do it soon. If you wait much longer, Consumer Reports said you'll likely see prices jump. But don't worry, its investigators found the best way to book a cheaper flight. "When you're planning your trip and you're planning to fly, what is really the most important thing to you?" News4Jax asked a local traveler at Jacksonville International Airport. "I like knee room plus a good price," he said. But which booking site will give you that good price or the best deal? Consumer Reports compared nine sites, searching for the cheapest nonstop round-trip flights on five busy domestic routes. Users simultaneously searched for the exact same itinerary at the same time to the same airport. They found there can be big differences. For example, in one search for round-trip flights between New York and Miami, the cheapest fare Google Flights came up with was $597, but on Priceline, the cheapest was $459. And despite its name, CheapOAir never came up with the lowest fare on any of the routes that Consumer Reports checked. "We found you'll increase your odds of finding the lowest fare if you search for flights multiple times over multiple days with and without your search history cleared on your browser," said Mandy Walker, Consumer Reports money editor. Also, you should check the airlines' own sites to see if you can find an even lower fare. You can find all airlines that serve a given route at google.com/flights. Fares can vary considerably for flights just hours apart and at nearby airports. Consumer Reports found Kayak makes it particularly easy to search for other options. When you use price-comparison sites, specify the city you want to depart from, not the airport. Most sites will then show you the flight options for any of that area's airports. As for the best time to shop for flights, the CEO of FareCompare told Consumer Reports it's 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. That's when the greatest number of cheap seats are available. If you can be flexible with your travel days, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are generally the cheapest days to fly. But bargains can pop up at any time, so don't stop searching. If you like more comfort when flying, Consumer Reports recommended that you check SeatGuru.com for information about most airlines' seating plans -- including size, limited recline or leg room. With prices changing all the time, Consumer Reports said it's a good idea to check the day after you book to see if you can find a better deal. The consumer watchdog also said, by law, you can cancel without penalty for 24 hours after you book it, as long as you're not traveling for at least a week. If you are worried about delays and making a connecting flight, Consumer Reports gave a little advice to help ease your stress. Sitting in the front can save as much as 15 minutes when deplaning -- though you might have to pay a little more for that seat. Also, avoid booking the last flight of the day. You do have rights if you are bumped involuntarily from a flight and are delayed. You may be entitled to up to $650 if the fight is domestic and $1,300 if it's international, according to Department of Transportation regulations. http://www.news4jax.com/consumer/consumer-reports/consumer-reports-find-cheaper-flights

David Cameron warns cheap flights in Europe could be put at risk by Brexit

Cheap flights between European locations could be put at risk by the UK leaving the EU, David Cameron has suggested.

The Prime Minister sought to cast doubt on the ability of low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair to freely operate routes between EU member states after a Brexit.

He made the remarks as he sought to counter arguments from Leave supporters, including London mayor Boris Johnson , that the UK could prosper by emulating Canada’s free trade deal.

The PM warned Canadian airlines can operate routes from Canada to Europe but not within Europe.

Mr Cameron also argued there would be struggles for television companies, financial services firms and other businesses in being able to easily access markets in EU countries.

PA

David Cameron has emphasised them uncertainty of an exit

The Prime Minister made the claims as he sought to rejuvenate his campaign for a Remain vote at June’s referendum following an Easter holiday in Lanzarote.

Despite pleas from some pro-EU campaigners to offer a positive outlook on Britain’s future, Mr Cameron used an appearance in Birmingham to frequently emphasise the dangers and uncertainty of an exit.

Read more: Scientists overwhelmingly oppose 'Brexit' according to latest poll

His comments came as a poll indicated that Downing Street’s tactics, labelled Project Fear by critics, were working, with the Remain camp on 51% and Leave trailing on 44%.

The Orb poll for the Daily Telegraph found that only 5% said they are undecided, with those who currently say they do not know how they will vote more likely to back the Remain campaign on June 23.

When certainty to vote is taken into account, the campaigns are virtually tied, with Remain on 49% and Leave on 48%.

PA

EasyJet and other airlines could face route problems

Speaking to PwC workers in Birmingham, Mr Cameron said: “Now, Canada has - or is about to have - the biggest free trade agreement there is with the European Union and some of the principal proponents of Britain leaving the EU have said we should have a Canada-style deal.

“But here’s the rub - the Canada-style deal does not have really any good provisions about services.

“Let me just give you a couple of examples - a Canadian airline can fly between Canada and a European city but it can’t fly within Europe.

Read more: EU campaigners at war over Brits' healthcare abroad

“What does that mean for easyJet or for Ryanair, for companies like that that are so vital in terms of the cheap air flights that we all enjoy?

“Let me give you another example - if you’re a television station, if you’re located in Britain you can broadcast all the way through the European Union, not if you’re a Canadian television station under the deal.

“Think of financial services, and you help so many financial services companies, with our arrangements inside the single market if you’re located in Britain you can trade in any European country.

Reuters

European Referendum is in June

“If you’re Canada, your financial services companies won’t be able to do that - they have to set up in each and every European country.”

The PM added: “If we leave the European Union, and if we have a deal like a Canada free trade deal, it will be very bad for our economy.

“It will be bad for jobs, it will be bad for investment and it will be particularly bad for services industries that need those markets.”

Read more: Airbus bosses send letter to thousands of employees warning of Brexit risk

Earlier, Mr Cameron also warned leaving the EU would be an “act of economic and political self-harm” and would not help the beleaguered British steel industry.

In reply to the comments made in the Telegraph, Vote Leave’s chief executive Matthew Elliott said: “The greatest act of economic self-harm is that we sendBrussels £350 million every week in return for handing control of our economy and democracy to EU judges.

“It is deeply regrettable that the PM is basing his campaign on doing down Britain and ignoring the free trade zone from Iceland to Turkey that we will be part of when we vote Leave.”

Egypt's domestic tourism hit by cheap flights abroad

Travel agencies in Egypt are complaining of the high price of domestic airline tickets, which they claim are the primary cause of the decline in domestic tourism.

EgyptAir has recently launched a return flight to Sharm El-Sheikh for around EGP 900, which appears expensive in relation to prices for return flights from Cairo to international destinations offered by some international airlines.

In the wake of the downing of a Russian passenger jet over Sinai in October, many tourists are opting for foreign holidays, with Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon and Greece on the list of tempting destinations.

A Cairo-Lebanon-Cairo flights costs around EGP 1,700, while a Cairo-Athens-Cairo flights costs around EGP 2,400. Turkish Airlines, meanwhile, has offered Cairo-Istanbul return flights for around EGP 1,500.

Many Egyptian travel agencies have now started to offer foreign vacation packages for the February and Christmas vacations at very reasonable prices. The nations on the bargain holiday list include Lebanon and the Czech Republic, as well as other nations in Eastern and Central Europe.

Egyptian tour guide Nivine Mostafa said that, while flights to countries such as Lebanon are reasonably priced, accommodation and daily expenses are still a much higher than those in Sharm El-Sheikh.

EgyptAir recently announced a round-trip Egypt-US flight at just EGP 1,698, until 15 December 2015, prompting further concern from Egypt’s tourism sector, with many fearing the offer will tempt more Egyptians to holiday in the United States.

In response to the ongoing tourism-industry crisis, the Egyptian Ministry of Sate for Youth and Sports is organising excursions to Sharm El-Sheikh, in the hope of boosting the destination’s tourism sector.

Kuwait may be an additional source of assistance, with the nation planning to offer direct flights to Sharm El-Sheikh.

In spite of Egypt’s efforts to encourage national tourism, Mostafa Raslan, chairman of the Egyptian Chamber of Tourist Commodities in the Red Sea, believes the area’s tourism revival cannot be achieved through increased numbers of domestic visitors.

Ahmed Magdy, a flight controller in Sharm El-Sheikh, told Daily News Egypt that even after EgyptAir dropped prices of its domestic flights to Sharm El-Sheikh, the number of Egyptians travelling to the resort town is essentially unchanged.

Abu Bakr Makhlouf, Commercial Director of the Egyptian Resort Company, said flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and Marsa Allam are very expensive. He added that even if hotels there dropped their prices, this would not attract those tourists who prefer to spend extra for hotels with particularly good services.

By Maydaa El-Nadar  

http://www.albawaba.com/business/egypts-domestic-tourism-hit-cheap-flights-abroad-773606

Thanksgiving, Christmas Cheap Flights 2015: How To Get Last-Minute Deals For The Holidays

Sing it with me and Bing Crosby -- you'll be home for Christmas (and Thanksgiving). Whether you're headed back to the town you grew up in, or taking an exotic vacation, don't get ripped off by airlines. Even this close to the holidays, there are ways to nab inexpensive flights to get you where you want to go.

“Airfares in general are down this year,” Cheapflights.com editor Melisse Hinkle told USA Today. “And, while the Sunday after Thanksgiving is still in high demand, travel seems to be spreading out more across the holiday week and weekend.”

Here are eight tips for finding cheap flights:

Choose your dates wisely. CheapAir found the best days to fly for Thanksgiving were Nov. 23-24 and Nov. 26-27, while the worst were Nov. 25 and Nov. 29. For Christmas and New Years, try Dec. 22-25 or Dec. 29-Jan. 1, avoiding Dec. 18-20 and Jan. 2-3.

Check alternate airports. Depending on where you live, there may be multiple hubs within driving distance. If you're in New York City, try flying out of Newark, New Jersey. If you're headed to Mobile, Alabama, look for flights into Pensacola, Florida. Use this site to see how far away area airports are from each other.

Skip the nonstop. If you can afford a brief layover, it may help you afford your ticket. Check this sitefor a ranking of the best airports to kill time in (for the record: London's Heathrow, San Francisco International and Vancouver International are all good).

Book sooner rather than later. Prices go up about $5 a day, according to USA Today. Do it now.

Let your bags fly for free. Don't pay high fees to check your luggage. Choose an airline without baggage fees, such as Southwest. 

Keep an eye on social media. Certain companies like Jet Blue will push out limited-time-only promotions on Twitter or Facebook before revealing them elsewhere. Sign up for phone notifications on corporate accounts so you're the first to spot their discounts.

Search a variety of sources. Before you buy, sweep lists of flights on sites like Skyscanner, Hipmunkand TheFlightDeal.

Use your miles. Some airlines accept miles, or points, instead of dollars if you're a frequent customer. Keep track of them using AwardWallet, and remember, you don't have to fly in order to rack up rewards. ThePointsGuy notes you can accrue points by going to certain spas, patronizing certain florists and even donating to charity.

http://www.ibtimes.com/thanksgiving-christmas-cheap-flights-2015-how-get-last-minute-deals-holidays-2190571

Cheapflights launches in SA

Cape Town - As a host of local, low cost airlines take to SA skies, finding the best flight deal online might seem daunting and time-consuming - unless you make use of a reputable online travel agent.
Locally consumers already have access to the likes of TravelStart, Tripadvisor and SouthAfrica.to to mention a few, with some loyal travellers opting to book directly with their airline of choice.

Also see: Skywise changes launch date
But for consumers wanting increased power, with less fuss, in the online decision making and purchasing process the launch of Cheapflights.co.za is good news.

So what can avid travellers expect?
“The most fluid and intuitive flights search platform avialble,” says Andrew Shelton, the Global Marketing Director for Cheapflights.
Shelton pegged this down to its simplistic design and dedicated technology to deliver the best search results. In addition to this, the site offers holistic content and travel deal information that he believes will help South Africans travel more.
During a briefing held in Cape Town Shelton estimated Cheapflights.co.za's year-on year growth is expected to exceed 390%, with an overall audience project for the end of 2015 totaling 700 000.

 http://traveller24.news24.com/TravelPlanning/Cheapflights-launches-in-SA-20150224

South Island cities to benefit from cheap flights

Two South Island centres stand to benefit from the return of Air New Zealand's night rider service.
The axing of the popular promotion, which saw $29 flights between selected centres, drew criticism last year.

But Air New Zealand has announced $29 late night flights between Auckland and Nelson, and Auckland and Christchurch, from the twentieth of February till the nineteenth of March.
The company plans to roll out other night-rider routes periodically.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/south-island-cities-to-benefit-from-cheap-flights/

How to Find Cheap Flights Online

rch850 / Flickr
Booking a flight online can be an aggravating process. After checking for discounts, figuring out the best time to fly, deciding which route to take and making sure the price is right, you're still left wondering if you scored the cheapest fare.
I've booked more than 100 flights since 2012, including a $22 flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore; a $27 fare from Seoul, South Korea to Osaka, Japan; and a $44 flight from Copenhagen, Denmark to Helsinki.
There's no question that affordable flights are out there, but they won't come knocking on your door; you'll have to do some research.
See: 5 Tips to Survive a Long Flight
Check multiple websites
Unfortunately, there isn't one magical website selling the cheapest flights. To find the best deal, you'll have to search on multiple sites. Start with search engines like Kayak and momondo, which will give you a general idea of which airlines offer your chosen itinerary and the price range for your desired flights. After you've searched for a few of the most affordable flights, go to that specific airline's website to see if it offers a cheaper price for the same flight. Frequently, airlines have private sales and special deals only offered on their sites.
Another tip: Check popular search engines in other countries. For example, go to Expedia.co.jp (the search engine's Japanese site), but change the language to English and the currency to U.S. dollars. Then, search for your desired flight and see if the prices are cheaper. Using this method, I booked a flight from New York to Seoul for $200 cheaper than anywhere else I could find on the Web.
Be flexible
According to FareCompare.com, the optimal time to book a domestic flight is between three months and 30 days ahead of your departure (international flights require more time). It may seem like a no-brainer, but if you're determined to find the cheapest flight, you need to be flexible with your departure date and time. Sometimes, adding or removing a day can save you hundreds of dollars.
If it fits with your schedule, consider taking a red-eye or an early morning flight, as these tend to be least desirable (read: cheapest). If you can time it right, FareCompare.com recommends purchasing your ticket on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. This seemingly arbitrary time slot yields the best prices because it's when airlines run the most sales.
Check for deals on Twitter and Facebook
Airlines occasionally share special deals, promotions and first-come, first-serve offers via their social media accounts. Like or follow the Facebook and Twitter pages of the airlines you commonly fly with to stay abreast of any surprise sales. Every now and then, check to see if the airline is hawking any deals on social media. And if you see a good deal, act fast -- it could be gone within minutes.
See: 13 Secrets for Finding Cheaper Airfare
Look for different connecting flights
Nonstop flights are in high demand, and as such they're also the most expensive. Consider taking an alternative route that may consist of two (or more) flights to get to your destination. If you can tolerate long layovers, you can drastically cut down your flight expenses.
Another money-saving tip: Research the hub city for each airline. For example, Phoenix is a hub for US Airways, Atlanta serves as one of Delta's main hubs and Chicago is one of Southwest's major thoroughfares. Airlines offer more flights in and out of these cities, so if you route your flight through one of these hubs, you may save money due to the sheer volume of available itineraries.
For international budget airlines like AirAsia and Peach Aviation, keep an eye out for secondary airports that only cater to one airline. Sometimes, these small airports are hidden from search engines and may have to do your own research to seek them out. For instance, the Treviso Airport in Venice, Italy only operates Ryanair and Wizz Air flights.
Call the airline
If you're a skilled salesperson, this method may work for you. After comparing several sites, call the airline and see if it can offer you a lower price. Try to roll the dice and tell the customer service representative that you saw a cheaper price online to see if he or she can match your offer.
If you're satisfied with the price you found online, you should still call the airline the following morning to see if the fare decreased overnight. If so, you can cancel and rebook your flight for the cheaper price. Federal provisions require airlines to allow for penalty-free cancellations 24 hours after purchase, as long as the ticket is bought at least a week ahead of the departure date.
No matter which tactic you use, remember that patience, above all else, is your best tool.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/us-news-travel/how-to-find-cheap-flights_b_6269522.html?ir=India